troops were there, two of Ravana’s counsellors and officers, named Suka and Sarana, who had come as spies, having assumed the shape of monkeys, were seized by Vibhishana.  And when those wanderers of the night assumed their real Rakshasa forms, Rama showed them his troop and dismissed them quietly.  And having quartered his troops in those woods that skirted the city, Rama then sent the monkey Angada with great wisdom as his envoy to Ravana.’”

SECTION CCLXXXII

“Markandeya said, ’Having quartered his army in those groves abounding with food and water and with fruits and roots, the descendant of Kakutstha began to watch over them with care.  Ravana, on the other hand, planted in his city many appliances constructed according to the rules of military science.  And his city, naturally impregnable on account of its strong ramparts and gate-ways, had seven trenches, that were deep and full of water to the brim and that abounded with fishes and sharks and alligators, made more impregnable still by means of pointed stakes of Khadira wood.  And the ramparts, heaped with stones, were made impregnable by means of catapults.  And the warriors (who guarded the walls) were armed with earthen pots filled with venomous snakes, and with resinous powders of many kinds.  And they were also armed with clubs, and fire-brands and arrows and lances and swords and battle-axes.  And they had also Sataghnis[57] and stout maces steeped in wax.[58] And at all the gates of the city were planted movable and immovable encampments manned by large numbers of infantry supported by countless elephants and horses.  And Angada, having reached one of the gates of the city, was made known to the Rakshasas.  And he entered the town without suspicion or fear.  And surrounded by countless Rakshasas, that hero in his beauty looked like the Sun himself in the midst of masses of clouds.  And having approached the hero of Pulastya’s race in the midst of his counsellors, the eloquent Angada saluted the king and began to deliver Rama’s message in these words, “That descendant of Raghu, O king, who ruleth at Kosala and whose renown hath spread over the whole world, sayeth unto thee these words suited to the occasion.  Accept thou that message and act according to it!  Provinces and towns, in consequence of their connection with sinful kings incapable of controlling their souls, are themselves polluted and destroyed.  By the violent abduction of Sita, thou alone hast injured me!  Thou, however, wilt become the cause of death to many unoffending persons.  Possessed of power and filled with pride, thou hast, before this, slain many Rishis living in the woods, and insulted the very gods.  Thou hast slain also many great kings and many weeping women.  For those transgressions of thine, retribution is about to overtake thee!  I will slay thee with thy counsellors.  Fight and show thy courage![59] O wanderer of the